Arm rest protector for automobiles



June 21, 1955 A. 1.. LARSON ARM REST PROTECTOR FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Aug. 23, 1954 INVENTOR. A d/owe A. Larson FARM REST PROT CTOR or; A 'r'oMoBiLas Adlowe L. Larson, Stillwater, Okla., assignor to Kool- Kooshion Manufacturing Company; Oklahoma City,

Okla., a corporation Application August 23, 1954, Serial 4s1 -;;s z1 4 Claims. ci.= z96-49.'z ,.-E

This invention relates to'an automobile'acce'ssory in the natureof an arm rest, and particularly to a resilienf clip for attaching an arm restto an automobile; e

The most important object of thepresent invention is; the provision of an improved clip for 'mounting -.an,arin rest 'on the lower rail of an automobile wind'oiWframe;

A further important object of the present invention is to provide a rail clip having aresilient tab portion thereon which engages the rail therebeneatli forlocking the clip on the rail.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved pivotal attachment for mounting the arm rest itself on the clip.

With these and other objects in view, the-arm .rest' of the present invention comprises generally arail clip having a flat, rail-engaging, portion, a'depending flange portion adapted for. insertion in the ,slot of a-window frame, and a resilient tab portion which engages the rail within the window frame when the flat portion is on the rail; a protector pad normally disposed in overlying relatidnship to the rail and said clip; and means pivotally-attaching the pad to the clip for swinging movement away from the rail. 1

Other objectives include the provision of. a protective sheathing on the rail-engaging portion of the clip which prevents scratching and defacing of the rail by the clip; the use of a resilient, wire rod in the fabrication of the rail clip; the provision of an offset, tab portion on the clip which springs into engagement with the rail when the clip is placed'in the slot provided for the window; the

formation of an elongated, rectilinear bight portionon the clip and on which the arm rest or pad itself is p ivrest on the lowermost rail of a window frame which pre- 7 that therebeapocket similar to that between lines of, stitching 28-30. For example, pad 10" maybe fabri cated of superimposed and interconnectedlayers of felt otally mounted; and other, more minor objects which will become apparent in the specification which folltiws.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an arm rest for automobile bodies made in accordance with the teachings of the present invention showing the same operably mounted on the lowermost rail of a window frame.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on line IIII of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged top or plan per se; and

view of the arm rest Fig. 4 is an enlarged, elevational view of the arm rest per se, parts being broken away and in section for clearness.

As mentioned in my co-pending application Serial No. 364,700, filed June 29, 1953 and entitled Arm Rest for Automobile Bodies, it is an accepted fact that automobile passengers frequently rest their arms upon the lowermost rail of a window frame, particularly when the window is rolled down. Due to the heat of the rail and the interrupted, uneven surface presented by the slot in the rail and by the windowitself, occupants frequently extend their arms through the windowwith the elbow extending beyond the outermost face of the automobile body. Therefore, the most important object of this and my co-pending application is the provision of an arm sents a cool 'and uninterrupted support for the elbow and avoids fthe tendencyof occupants toeXtend their 7 qlbows beyond a safeand reasonable distancegfromthe,

rail. M

'Referring now fto'the drawing, wherein like numerals indicate'simil'ar"parts, thetarm rest of the present invention comprises generallyan elongated pad .10: and a railen a i ip 2 The pad 19 chosen for: illustration is made, of. a pair of 'outermost'foraminous walls 14'and 16 (Fig. 4) that are preferably ofiinter'woven cord-like netting and interconnected by a peripheral binding ,18 of leather,-imi- There is presented, therefore, a void between walls 14 and 16 which receives a rigid, corrugated,foraminousreinforcementl or stiifenerf20 tation. leather. or'the like.

lieu of themetallic reinforcement 20, additionallla'yers of material similar to'that from which the walls 14'and void within 16 are .made may be inserted within the which reinforcement 20 is disposed,

Pad 10 is secured, along one longitudinaledge thereof, 7 betweena pair of superimposed strips 22 and 24 by a line.

of stitching 26 which also interconnects binding 18 and the walls 14and,16 (Figs. 3 and 4)'. Strips 22-24 project outwardly from pad .10, and are themselves interconnected by linesof stitching 28 and 30. Thus, there is presented a pockettbetweenlines of stitching 28-30 for apurpose' to be discussed hereinafter.

Manifestly, the pad 10 chosen for illustration may be,-

modifiejdin anumber of ways, the only requirement being or other similar material having an absorbent pad or the like in the void between the walls 14 and 16. The clip 12, illustrated infthe drawing is, preferably formed from an initially elongated, wire rod which is-rebent upon itself to present, viewing Fig. 4, an upper, relatively flat portion 32, a depending, flange portionj34; and an offset, tab. portion 36. Flat portion 32 is generally U shaped in configuration and has an elongated, rectilinear'bight 38 and legs 40 and 42. Legs 40-42 are covered by a protective sheathing 41 ofrubber or other suitable pliablematerial; Flange portion 34 consists of a pair-of depending members 44 and 46 which are inclined inwardly at the lowermost ends, thereof Tab portion 36, formed in an intermediate length of the wire rod from which clip 12 is fabricated,'is also genmay thus be separated so that the free ends (not shown) 12 may be threaded into the pocket between lines 7 of stitching 28-30. Due to the resilient nature of the clip 12, the legs 40-42 will spring, when released, to their normal position illustrated in the drawing. In this of clip manner, pad 10 is pivotally attached to the clip 12 for swinging movement relative thereto. g

The arm rest ismounted on an automobile 53 in the manner illustrated in Figs. '1 and 2 of the drawing. Flat portion 32 of clip 12 rests upon thelowermost rail 54of a window frame 56. Flange portion 34 extends inwardly in a slot 58 within the rail 54 that a windowpane 60 (Fig. 2).' The lowermost, inclined ends of members '44 and'46 underlie the rail: 54 within frame 56. As flange portion 34 is inserted into slot 54, tab portion '36 will spring away from members 44-46 2,711,344 Patented June 21, 1955 The legs 48-50 areinterprovides clearance for and bight 52 of tab portion '36 will engage rail 54 within frame 56 (Fig. 2) and thus lock clip 12 in place on rail54.

When window 60 has been lowered, the normal position for pad 10 is that illustrated by the full lines in Fig. 1. When the pad 10 is swung on bight 38 of fiat portion 32 to an inoperative position, it hangs from the clip 12 in the manner shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing and is disposed along the innermost face of the automobile, as shown by dotted'lines in Fig. 1. raising of the window 60 will automatically swing the pad 10 upwardly and inwardly to the dotted line position of Figs. 1 and 2.

As previously stated, the present invention relates to' an improved clip for arm rests in the nature of that disclosed by my co-pending application. When a padof' this character is placed in use, the occupant of the automobile 53 may conveniently rest his arm upon the pad 10 without marring the surface of the rail54 and without danger of being burned when the rail '54 is in a heated condition. Furthermore, since thepad 10 is foraminous throughout, it is air-cooled and the occupant's arm will not perspire as readily, when resting on the pad '10, as when the rail 54 itself is used as a rest. 7

It is obvious that the embodiment herein disclosed is a preferred form only and that many changes or modifications may be made therein Without departing from the broad principles of the present invention. Such changes or modifications are contemplated hereby and it is, the1'ev fore, desired to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:"

1. In an arm rest adapted for use with window frames provided with a lower rail having a windowpane slot therein, an elongated, resilient wire rod rebent upon itself It is recognized that to present a rail clip having a flat, U-shaped portion in- "cluding'a hight and a pair of legs, a flange portion including a member depending from each of said legs, and an offset tab portion interconnecting the members beneath said legs and engaging the rail therebeneath when the fiat portion is on the rail and the flange portion within the slot.

2. In an arm rest as set forth claim 1 wherein is provided an elongated 'pad having means thereon pivotally attaching the pad .to the bight of said flat portion,

up n itse'Iftopresent a rail clipihaving an upper portion including .a}pair of spaced'lcgs, 21 depending flange portion'inluding a member depending from each of said legs and an offset tab portion interconnecting the mem bers beneath saidlcgs and engaging the rail therebeneath when theiiat portion is on the rail and the'ftange portion within the slot.

References "Cited'in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 2171,190 Blumenthal Dec. '29, 1953 1,962,508 fiJosselyn June .12, .1934 2;670,2-3S Susil Feb. 23, .1954 2,690,350 Shapiro Sept. 28, 1954 

